Baffle and heat retaining device



June 16, 1942. E. A. ROTH BAFFLE AND HEAT RETAINING- DEVICE Filed April l2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l ,Mentor EDWARD P\ ROTH Morra@ June 16, 1942. E` A ROTH 2,286,688

BAFFLE AND HEAT RETAINING DEVICE Filed April 12, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 faerdr' EDWARD A. ROTH 97M June 16, 1942. E. A. ROTH BAFFLE AND HEAT RETAINING DEVICE Filed April 12, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ju/eI-zor EDWARD A. ROTH Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAFFLE AND BEAT RETAINING DEVICE Edward a noch, Philadelphia Pa.

Application April 12, 1940, Serial No. 329,245

9 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to furnaces and more particularly to baffles and heat retaining means for installation in the combustion or heat transfer chamber of heating furnaces. While the present invention is designed for domestic heating furnaces, it will be understood that the same may be employed in other types of furnaces. It will also be understood that while the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown installed in an automatically controlled intermittently fired furnace employing fluid fuel, it may be employed also in other types of furnaces.

Generally the object of the present invention is to provide a device or devices for installation in the combustion or heat transfer chamber of the type of furnace described above, such device or devices serving to enhance the efficiency of the furnace and to reduce its cost of operation.

More specifically, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel baille means for ready installation within the combustion or heat transfer chamber of the furnace, the device or devices causing the burning gases to pass through the combustion or heat transfer chamber in devious and tortuous paths so as effectively to scrub the heat absorbing surfaces of these devices, before the burning gases have discharged into the flue. Such baille means or devices minimize the escape of heat in the form of hot gases through the flue or chimney of the furnace before such heat can be absorbed by the boiler.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the combustion or heat transfer chamber with readily installed and readily removable devices, which serve to concentrate the heat centrally of the chamber. This serves to offset and counteract the cooling effect on the burning gases which is caused by the high rate of heat` transmission into a boiler. Such cooling effect at times reduces the rate of combustion of the burning gases with possible sooty deposits which lead to inefficiency and dangerous fire risks. A still further object of the present invention is to provide within a combustion or heat transfer chamber one or more incandescent bodies, preferably in the form of metal discs or other suitably shaped metal bodies. Such discs or metal bodies will reach incandescence quickly and will serve as ignition means for all unburnt gases or fuels in the chamber and prevent the escape of same without complete combustion.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide Within the combustion or heat transfer chamber a heat storage and heat retaining device with large absorbing and radiating surfaces with the result that the heat absorbed thereby will diffuse for a substantial time after the burner is shut olf, thus bringing about greater uniformity of heating and greater fuel economy.

In order to accomplish the above purposes and so that the same may be employed in existing heating installations, the present invention provides relatively small and suitably shaped metal bodies, as, for example, in the form of approximately dish-shaped discs so that a plurality of such bodies or discs may be passed into a furnace through the fire door and properly installed in the combustion or heat transfer chamber.

Other objects and advantages flowing from the present invention will be pointed out in later portions of the present specification or will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectionof a conventional oil fired hot water round boiler showing the novel baille and heat retaining device of the present in-` vention assembled and installed in the heat transfer chamber.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the top diffusing wheel removed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the individual discs.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of one of the discs.

Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the discs.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one of the discs.

Fig. 7 is a View showing the manner in which the disc is inserted through a standard flre door opening.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a diffusing wheel.

Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the diffusing wheel shown in Fig. 8. y

Fig. l0 is a side View of the diffusing wheel.

Fig. 11 is a top view of the diffusing wheel.

Fig. 12 shows one form of assembly in which the two upper adjacent baille discs are separated by a diffusing wheel, whereas the two lower baille discs are superposed without such a separator.

Fig. 13 shows an. assembly where two metal discs are superposed without any separator.

Fig. 14 shows two nested diffusing wheels which Y may be employed ln some installations where it is desired to increase the separation between adjacent baille discs.

diiusng wheels are suspended from the top wall of the transfer chamber.

Fig. 16 is a Vertical sectional view of a furnace having a modified form of installation.

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the installation shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a perspective of the supporting link employed in the installations shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

Referring to the drawings, a conventional round hot water furnace is illustrated at 20 and will be seen to comprise the fire pot 2| and the oil or gas burner 22 projecting into it. Above the fire pot is erected the heat transfer or combustion chamber 23 surrounded by a water jacket and having the access doors at openings 25 and 25.

The installation 21 which constitutes one form of the present invention is disposed within the chamber 23, preferably centrally thereof, in such a manner that it overlies the lire pot or chamber 2|. The elements of this installation are such that while each may readily pass through the access opening 25 they, nevertheless, ll the horizontal sectional area of the chamber so as to prevent the direct flow of the gases from chamber 2l t0 the outlet 28'L and to force the gases to come into frequent contact with the elements of the installation 21. For this purpose the installation 2l comprises a tier of superposed bailles 28 separ-ated by the separators or diffusing wheels 29. While this tier may if desired be supported directly on the walls 30 of the re pot 2|, it is preferred to, space the iowermost baille away from the mouth of 'the chamber 2|. The lowermost baille 29 is therefore supported on the four posts 3| of refractory material.

The baille plates 28 are essentially approximately square, apertured, dished plates, with a large central opening 32. The number of apertures in the plate may be varied as desired. The general size and shape of the plate is such that it can be inserted through the access opening by canting the plate along the diagonal of the opening as shown in Fig. 7. The central circular opening 32 of the plate is defined by the collar 33 which is provided with an internal annular rabbet 34. The upper face 35 of the collar 33 is fiat and more or less octagonal in external shape, and junction llets or lines 35 radiate outwardly and upwardly on the face of the plate, from the corners of the Octagon, to divide the body of the plate into eight segments. Four of these segments 3l are the corner segments, and are longer than the intermediate segments 38 and have rounded convex corners; whereas the intermediate segments 38 have concave outer edges. Each segment 3l is provided on its lower face with an 'apertured boss 39, the aperture of which latter extends through the body of the plate itself. The bosses 39 on the lowest plate of an assembly rest on the column 3 I. The plate also has a series of apertures 40. Other apertures may be provided if desired.

In the installation shown in Fig. 1 the baille plates 28 are separated from each other by a separator or a diffusing wheel 29. The construction of this diiusing wheel is shown in Figs. 8, 9, and l1. The separator or diiusing wheel 29 is interposed between adjacent bailie plates 28 to separate the adjacent plates so as to permit the hot gases to enter between the plates. pass through the apertures in such plates and generally to cause the hot gases to pass along the tortuous paths provided by the plates. In

addition, the separators 29 are so constructed as to cause the hot gases that enter centrally of the installation to pass out radially. The separators, therefore, comprise a sleeve 4l having a` series of wings 42 extending radially therefrom. The number of these Wings preferably corresponds to the number of segments in each plate 28. The wings 42 carry on their upper edges a collar 43 which i-lts snugly into the rabbet or shoulder 34 on the lower face of the plate. I'he wings 42 each have a portion 44 which extends downwardly to the full length of the sleeve 4|, these being so dimensioned that these extending portions fit snugly into the collar 33 of the baille plate. Each wing also has a horizontal edge 45 which rests on the face 35 ofthe collar and an angularly disposed lower edge 46 which rests snugly on a fillet 36 of the plate. Thus, it will be seen, as shown in Fig. 12, that the separator` fits snugly at its lower end into the lower plate and fits snugly at its upper end into the upper plate and thereby serves to form a secure assembly by the mere proper superposition of the elements. It should be further noted that as the hot gases pass upwardly a portion will pass up through the sleeve 4I whereas other portions will pass exteriorly of the sleeve 4| and radially between adjacent wings 42. These separators and diffusing wheels therefore serve to cooperate with the baille plates so as to cause the hot gases to scrub the baiiie plates intimately.

In assembling these units, each plate is displaced angularly with relation to the adjacent plate, as is shown in Fig. 2 and as may also bc observed in Figs. 1, 12 and 13. y

It will now be understood that by means or the supporting posts -3| and a multiplicity m identical baiiie plates and identical spacers any furnace may be provided with any desired installation in order to bring about the advantages desired. The specific form of the installation may be varied. Thus, in the installation shown in Fig. 1, each pair of baille plates is separated and each baflie plate is displaced angularly with respect to the adjacent baiiie plate. If desired, a pair of spacers may be associated in the manner shown in Fig. 14 and employed between ad jacent pairs of baiiie plates. Also, if desired, adjacent bafile plates may not be separated by a spacer but may be merely superposcd as shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 shows an installation which eliminates the use of supporting posts 3i, the installation being suspended by means of a roti 4l and a nut 48. As shown in Fig. 15, only one baille plate and one diffusing wheel is shown. It will be understood, however, that an installation of this type may, like the installation shown in Fig. l, comprise a plurality of plates and separators or diiiusing wheels.

The manner of supporting the installation may be varied as desired. Thus, in Figs. 16 and 17 is shown a manner of supporting which comprises a set of posts 50 and a group of links 5I which serve to connect the top of the post with the lowermost baiile plate 28. The baiile plates 28 employed in Figs. 16 and 17 are the same as those previously described. The link is provided with an upstanding tapered lug 52 which enters the apertures of the boss 39 in the lowermost name plate 2s, the outer end of the link 5| resting on the top of a post 50. The link may at the outer end be hollowed out as shown at 53 to reduce the weight of the link. This type of installation is readily adaptable to furnaces of different sizes. It will be understood that the links I may be rotated around the lug 52 as a pivot from their positions shown in Fig. 17 until they occupy positions extending radially from the center of the installation, in which case the latter will cover a larger area and may be employed in a larger furnace.

Referring again to the shape of the baiile plates, it will be observed that, while they provide an assembly that has a diameter of the maximum dimension of the plate, each plate may nevertheless be readily introduced through the customary opening.

By first introducing a protruding lobe at one corner of the opening and resting the recessed edge of the plate against the corner, the plate may be manipulated at the diagonally opposed corner to pass the opening and enter the furnace. Any number of plates and spacers may be assembled Within the combustion and heat transfer chamber, taking care to displace angularly each plate with reference to the preceding plate. By this arrangement, the enlarged lobes of the corner segments of one plate extend beyond the short segments of the adjacent plates with the result that the assembly as a whole has an overall diameter approximately equal to the diagonal dimension of a single plate.

It will now be understood that an installation may be made with great facility, and that by the use of the same units the installations may be varied and may be adjusted to particular needs and to particular sizes and shapes of the furnace.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

1. The combination with a furnace having a re box with a burner at the bottom of its combustion chamber, of a flame diffusing and heat retaining assembly positioned centrally of the combustion chamber and of greater overall diameter than the fire box, said device comprising a series of superposed, perforated, dished, approximately square metal plates, each plate comprising a collar with an axial passage having an annular channel on its lower face, each plate further comprising a plurality of segments extending outwardly from the collar, one set of alternate segments having lobes extending beyond the outer edges of adjacent segments, the plates being angularly displaced relative each other, and flame diffusing spacers adapted to be interposed between any desired pairs of adjacent plates, each comprising an axial tube having an external diameter smaller than the axial passage in said plates, wings extending radially from said tube, an annulus at one end spaced radially and axially from the tube and disposed in the above mentioned shoulder of one adjacent plate, the wings each having lower portions fitting snugly into the collar of the other adjacent plate and providing for a iirm assembly between a spacer and a pair of adjacent plates and also providing for the free ow of flame and gases in many directions through said assembly.

2. The combination with a furnace having a nre box with a burner at the bottom of its combustion chamber, of a flame diffusing and heat retaining device positioned centrally of the combustion chamber and of greater overall diameter than the nre box, said device comprising a series of superposed, perforated, dished, approximately square metal plates, each plate comprising a collar with an axial passage and having a shoulder at the lower inner corner, each plate further comprising a plurality of segments extending outwardly from the collar and angularly relative thereto, one set of alternate segments having lobes extending beyond the outer edges of the adjacent segments, each such lobe having a boss on its lower face, the plates being angularly displaced relative each other, and flame diffusing spacers interposed between adjacent plates, the spacers each being smaller in overall diameter than theplates and each comprising an axial tube having an external diameter smaller than the axial passage in said plates, wings extending radially from said tube, an annulus at one end spaced radially and axially from the tube and disposed in the above mentioned shoulder of the adjacent plate, the wings each having lower portions fitting snugly into the collar of the other adjacent plate, the lower edge of each wing having a portion resting upon the upper face of the collar and having another; angularly disposed portion resting on the upper face of the plate and providing for a firm assembly betweena spacer and a pair of adjacent plates and also providing for the free flow of flame and gases in many directions through said spacer and plates.

3. The combination with a furnace having a iire box with a burner at the bottom of its combustion chamber, of a flame diffusing and heat retaining assembly positioned centrally of the combustion chamber, said assembly comprising posts resting in the combustion chamber, a plurality of superposed, perforated, dished, approximately square metal plates, each plate comprising a collar with an axial passage and having an annular recess, each plate further comprising a plurality of segments extending outwardly from the collar and angularly relative thereto, one set of alternate segments having lobes extending beyond the outer edges of adjacent segments, each such lobe of the lowest plate having a boss on its lower face resting on said posts for supporting the assembly,4 and flame diffusing spacers interposed between adjacent plates, the spacers each comprising an axial tube having an external diameter smaller than the axial passage in said plates, wings extending radially from said tube, an annulus at one end spaced radially and axially from the tube and disposed in the above mentioned recess of one plate, the wings each having lower portions fitting snugly into the collar of another plate, the lower edge of each wing having a portion resting upon the upper face of the other plate and providing for a firm assembly between a spacer and a pair of adjacent plates and also providing for the free iiow of flame and gases in many directions through said spacer and plates.

4. The combination with a furnace having a fire box with a burner at the bottom of its combustion chamber, of a iiame diffusing and heat retaining assembly positioned centrally of the combustion chamber, said assembly comprising posts disposed on the bottom of the combustion chamber, a plurality of superposed, perforated. dished, approximately square metal plates, each plate having an axial passage and an annular channel, the lowest plate having a downwardly directed perforated boss on its lower face, a link interposed between each boss and post, one end of the link resting on the post and the other end having a stud entering said boss, and flame diffusing spacers interposed between adjacent plates, the spacers each comprising an axial tube having an external diameter smaller than the axial passage in said plates, wings extending radially from said tube, an annulus at one end spaced radially and axially from the tube and disposed in the above mentioned channel of one plate, the wings each having lower portions ntting snugly into the passage of another plate, the lower edge of each wing having a portion resting upon the upper face of the other plate and providing for a rm assembly between a spacer and a pair of adjacent plates and also providing for the free iiow of flame and gases in many directions through said spacer and plates.

5. A flame diffusing and heat retaining assembly comprising a plurality of `baille plates and spacers interposed between adjacent plates, each plate having a central passage and a recess surrounding said passage, each spacer comprising a hollow hub and at one end parts radiating therefrom and spaced from each other and entering said passage and resting upon lan upper plate, and at the other end of the hub an annulus engaging said recess in a lower plate, the annulus having an internal diameter greater than the exterior diameter of the hub and being spaced therefrom axially.

6. A ilame diffusing and heat retaining assembly comprising a plurality of metal baille plates, and a plurality of diiusing spacers, each plate comprising4 a central collar with an axial passage and an annular channel on one face, the spacers each comprising an axial tube having an external diameter smaller thanthe axial passage in said plates, wings extending radially from said tube, an annulus at one end spaced radially and axially from the tube for entry into the above mentioned channel of one plate, the wings each having portions fitting snugly into the collar of another plate, and providing for a firm assembly between a spacer and a pair of adjacent plates and also providing for the free now of flame and gases in many directions through said spacer and plates.

,'7. A flame diffusing and heat retaining assembly comprising a plurality of superposed, approximately square metal plates, each plate comprising a collar with an axial passage and having an annular channel on one face, each plate further comprising a plurality of perforated segments extending outwardly from the collar, and flame diffusing spacers interposed between adjacent plates, the spacers each being smaller in overall diameter than the plates and each comprising an aasaess 4ire box with a burner at the bottom of its combustion chamber, of a name diffusing and heat retaining device positioned centrally of the combustion chamber and of greater overall diameter than the nre box, said device comprising a series of superposed, perforated, dished, approximately square metal plates, each plate comprising a collar with an axial passage and having a shoulder at the lower inner corner, each plate further comprising a plurality of segments extending outwardly from the collar and angularly relative thereto, one set of alternate segments having lobes extending beyond the outer edges of the adjacent segments, and means for retaining said plates in superposed relation with the outwardly extending lobes of one plate angularly spaced relatively to the corresponding lobes of an 'adjacent plate.

9. A name diffusing and heat retaining assembly consisting, in combination, of a plurality of centrally apertured baille plates, each having an annular seat in its bottom surface and marginally surrounding the central aperture therein, and a diffusing spacer interposed between adjacent plates in the form of a tubular body having radially extending elements each of which is notched at its lower edge to provide said elements with axial projections of uniform depth and width, said projections being adapted for reception within the top end of the central aperture of a baille plate, said diiusing spacer being fur- 'ther provided at its upper end with'an annular collar adapted for reception within the annular seat of a superposed baille plate, the parts heretofore recited coacting to rmly retain said plates and intervening spacer in proper registry and cooperating further to provide an axial passage extending commonly through the entire assembly of said parts.

EDWARD A. ROTH. 

